Public school staff in Victoria have rejected a pay and conditions proposal from the state government, with the union representing teachers, principals and education support staff describing the offer as inadequate.
The decision was made by the Victorian branch executive of the Australian Education Union (AEU), which voted to reject the proposal and continue negotiations for improved pay and conditions.
The offer from the Victorian Government proposes an 8 per cent pay increase for teachers and principals, and 4 per cent for education support staff, from 1 April 2026, followed by annual increases of 3 per cent over the following three years.
According to the union, the proposal does not adequately address concerns about workload and remuneration for public school staff.
Victorian branch president Mr Justin Mullaly said the offer would do little to address staffing shortages across the state’s public schools.
“This offer will do nothing to fix the staffing shortage crisis in Victoria’s public schools. How can Education Minister Ben Carroll call Victoria ‘the education state’ while teachers, principals and education support staff are overworked, underpaid, and already leaving the profession in droves?”
The union says public school employees are currently working more than 12 hours of unpaid overtime each week, and argues the proposal would increase workloads rather than reduce them.
Mr Mullaly also pointed to survey results cited by the union showing only 30 per cent of staff plan to remain working in public schools long term, while more than 80 per cent say their workloads have increased due to inadequate support.
“The Allan Labor Government is overseeing the country’s lowest funded public education system and is the employer to the nation’s lowest paid public schools teachers,” he said.
“An offer like this does not go far enough to keep experienced teachers in the system nor attract the next generation who are the future of the profession.”
Under the current proposal, the union says experienced public school teachers in New South Wales would be more than 13 per cent ahead of their Victorian counterparts by October 2026, while graduate teachers would be more than 16 per cent ahead.
Following a ballot endorsed by the Fair Work Commission, AEU members working in Victorian public schools have also voted in favour of taking industrial action.
The union said 98 per cent of members supported the move, with a planned 24-hour stop-work action scheduled for 24 March.
Mr Mullaly said the current proposal does not reflect the work of school staff or the need to retain experienced educators in the system.
“This offer is completely unacceptable to hardworking teachers, principals and education support staff. I don’t think the Premier and Education Minister could in good conscience look Victorian parents in the eye and say they are doing their best to support the workforce who teach their children.”
